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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
Derivative, unoriginal, and not well written.
The main character exhibits a lot of Mary-Sue-self-insertion symptoms, and is a watered down mixture of Sherlock Holmes and Lord Peter Wimsey. The other characters are equally uninspired.
The writing overall is dry and commits the cardinal sin of telling rather than showing. For example, we are told (repeatedly) that Lady Jane is an unusual and intelligent woman, but she rarely does anything and her dialogue is little more than exclamations of "Oh, Charles!". The plot itself is neither novel nor intriguing.
Overall, not an author I would read again.
The main character exhibits a lot of Mary-Sue-self-insertion symptoms, and is a watered down mixture of Sherlock Holmes and Lord Peter Wimsey. The other characters are equally uninspired.
The writing overall is dry and commits the cardinal sin of telling rather than showing. For example, we are told (repeatedly) that Lady Jane is an unusual and intelligent woman, but she rarely does anything and her dialogue is little more than exclamations of "Oh, Charles!". The plot itself is neither novel nor intriguing.
Overall, not an author I would read again.
Ratings:
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 3.5
Emotional impact 3.5
Overall rating 3.75
Writing 4
Story line 4
Characters 3.5
Emotional impact 3.5
Overall rating 3.75
It was a pleasant mystery and very tidy in total. This was my first Charles Finch book and I did enjoy it. I will more than likely read the others in the series because I like the appearances of the secondary characters. Each has an interesting story to tell and Finch feeds the reader little morsels of theses secondary plots to the primary mystery plot.
In Victorian England, Charles Lenox is a wealthy man with an interest in solving crime. His childhood friend, Lady Jane, tells him of the death of a former servant of hers and asks him to investigate. Thus begins Lenox's adventure into the murder of Miss Prue and then Soames (a member of Parliament). He enlists the help of his butler, Graham, his brother Edmund (also in Parliament), his chemist friend and others he has met through the years. In the end, he solves the murders, but only later comes to realize there was another crime he over-looked along the way.
Although the plot was certainly complicated, the writing was terrible and I couldn't stay awake long enough to get large chunks read at once. The namers were ridiculous (Lady Jane Grey, for example and some of the sub-plots silly. Other main elements were never answered (Who got the poison? What were the mechanics of the murders and the theft?). To top it all off, the book didn't end with solving the crimes - which is just lame. Instead, we get a weird chapter of Lenox back at his childhood estate and then riding-off into the night with Lady Jane.
Although the plot was certainly complicated, the writing was terrible and I couldn't stay awake long enough to get large chunks read at once. The namers were ridiculous (Lady Jane Grey, for example and some of the sub-plots silly. Other main elements were never answered (Who got the poison? What were the mechanics of the murders and the theft?). To top it all off, the book didn't end with solving the crimes - which is just lame. Instead, we get a weird chapter of Lenox back at his childhood estate and then riding-off into the night with Lady Jane.
Slowest book ever with multiple endings. I was delighted when I reached the last one.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but it's definitely not for everyone. If you like books set in Victorian England, even if you're not a fan of mystery novels, I think you would like this. It certainly captures the period excellently, and I liked the characters very much, with a special appreciation for how finely some of the minor characters were drawn. It can be easy for second-tier characters to be shown as rather cliched stereotypes, but I didn't feel that happened at all here.
If, however, you like your murder mysteries modern and lightning-fast paced, this may not be the book for you. :) I'll definitely be picking up the next book, myself.
If, however, you like your murder mysteries modern and lightning-fast paced, this may not be the book for you. :) I'll definitely be picking up the next book, myself.
I wanted to like this book, but it just doesn't ring true to me as a representation of the mid 19th century. The sensibilities of the characters seem too modern.
Won this book in Goodreads giveaway! I enjoyed this mystery - interesting characters and full of details and suspense. 3 1/2 stars.
I found this book to be a much more English book than most novels of its type. Time is spent describing the rituals and comforts of daily living, which I found to be charming, but I suppose could be considered too slow if a quick and suspenseful read is what you're after.
I enjoyed it and will probably read the others in the series if I can manage to find them in audiobook format. :)
I enjoyed it and will probably read the others in the series if I can manage to find them in audiobook format. :)
Really more like 3.5 stars. I see why some people might be bored with this well-mannered mystery, but I enjoyed the descriptions of old London and the social circles of the main characters. It's a fun book to read on a chilly weekend when you're procrastinating homework.